Peter Phillips, who has been a director, founded Tallis Scholars in 1978. As we know well, they became famous and have changed our views on Renaissance music by quite precise intervals and balanced chords.They played era-limited music, as he follows, from the latter lifetime of Dufay to the beginning of the 17th century. They do not notice emotional aspects but intelligent sounds on the interpretaion of Renaissance music, and they have challenged the pure harmony. The character is strongly appeared that each part has usually two persons for good choral balance, they prefer female voices to boys' voices at higher parts and they have never used musical instruments. It is a matter of regret, however, that the invariable idea for any music always causes the same expression. They have no choice.
We can listen their performance recorded by their original label, Gimell Records LTD, and we can understand their high ability from the twice winnings of "Gramophone Record of the Year" prize.
On February 2nd 1994, The Tallis Scholars played celebratory concert of the 400th anniversary of the death of Palestrina in Santa Maria Maggiore, where he was 'maestro di cappella'. The memorial concert of the restoration of The Sistine Chapel also is a credit to them, and have became a great historic event.
(Shingo)